Method and device to prepare tubular winding cores

A method for preparing tubular cores for winding strips of web material on a supporting and rotating shaft, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a shaft;
• inserting a tube axially on said shaft;
• axially and torsionally locking said tube on said shaft;
• dividing said tube into a plurality of cores axially aligned on said shaft;
• torsionally and axially releasing said cores from said shaft;
• positioning each core axially on said shaft in a predetermined axial position;
• reciprocally moving said cores such that each core is located at a spaced location from an adjacent core;
• axially and torsionally locking said cores located at said spaced location from one another on said shaft.

A device for positioning tubular winding cores on a common supporting and rotating shaft, the device comprising:

• a shaft;
• winding cores;
• supporting members for said shaft;
• a programmable unit;
• gripping and handling members gripping and handling said winding cores such that said winding cores are parallel to an axis of said shaft, said gripping and handling members being controlled via said programmable unit such that each winding core is positioned in a 10 predetermined and stored axial position on said shaft and each winding core is located at an axially spaced location from an adjacent winding core on said shaft.